AG Wants to Reduce Medical Mistakes

AG calls for stronger law on medical mistakes.

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The AG is calling for legislators to strengthen laws to require Connecticut hospitals to report more of their medical errors.

We all hope that when we go to the hospital for something, we will get the best care without mistakes.

Now Connecticut’s Attorney General is proposing legislation that will help ensure that happens.

On Monday, Richard Blumenthal called for legislation requiring greater disclosure, investigative authority and increased penalties for medical errors at hospitals.

Blumenthal’s bill cracks down on the Department of Public Health. His goal is to get patients more information, including annual reports that identify the hospitals and centers were mistakes happen.

“The current law is a deadly and disgraceful failure, shielding hospitals and surgical centers from scrutiny and accountability and leaving patients in the dark,” Blumenthal said. “Medical mistakes causing death and serious illness may go unreported, undisclosed and uninvestigated, undermining patient protection.

The bill would also require the DPH to conduct random audits of health care facilities to make sure they are complying with reporting requirements.

The Attorney General says loopholes in current law have allowed hospitals to keep most medical errors secret, including about 116 that resulted in death dating back to 2004.